In recent years, there has been a rapid growth in the popularity of sports and recreational activities amongst all age groups. Leisure and recreation has become an important aspect of a person's lifestyle. Concomitantly, there has been an increasing number of "weekend" athletes participating in gyms, tracks and courts, etc.
Injuries to the ankle joint or sprains are commonly experienced by athletes and individuals who participate in a variety of different recreational sports, i.e., tennis, soccer, basketball or racquetball, as well as other activities. Damage to ligaments are especially common and can be quite painful causing the injured person to be unable to walk or run properly for a period of time. Because these injuries have become widespread, there is a need for an affordable orthopedic device designed to provide support to the ankle joint so as to prevent injury or allow the injured person to walk or even to continue his or her recreational activity.
In the past, athletes have relied on ankle tape or wrapping to provide ankle support in the event of injury thereto or to prevent injury. Ankle wraps and tapes, however, are difficult to self-apply and typically provide limited support to the ankle while constricting free movement. In addition, only trained individuals know how to properly apply tape to the ankle such that proper support is rendered. The typical weekend athlete therefore is often unable to obtain proper taping.
Custom-fit orthopedic devices with rigid stabilizing receptacles and a hinge to allow free movement in the appropriate direction have also become available. One disadvantage of custom-fit devices, however, is just that: they must be custom fit by a trained orthotist. This adds substantially to the cost of the device. Recreational athletes or sportsmen may be unwilling to pay for a customized ankle brace when their activities are limited, or when they may only need the ankle device during the recovery period, which in many cases may last only a few weeks. Thus, many recreational athletes and sportsmen may go without an ankle brace, and either risk further and permanent injury to the ankle by continuing activity without adequate support for the ankle, or abstain completely from activity until the ankle is healed. The need for a reasonably inexpensive yet adjustably fitted, off-the-shelf, ankle brace is therefore apparent. There is also a need for an improved ankle stabilization system, whether or not custom-fitted.